Chapter 17

The dream began as it always did – with darkness. Kaedan Dorn found himself standing in an endless void, the emptiness pressing in on him from all sides. But this time, something was different. A soft, ethereal glow began to emanate from somewhere in the distance, growing steadily brighter.

As the light approached, it took on a familiar shape. Kaedan's breath caught in his throat as he recognized the silhouette – the graceful lekku, the lithe form that moved with an otherworldly grace.

"Zara?" he whispered, his voice cracking with emotion.

The figure solidified, and there she was – Zara, his friend, looking just as she had before that fateful day on the transport. But now she seemed to glow from within, her presence radiating a warmth and peace that Kaedan had never felt before.

"Hello, Kaedan," Zara said, her voice echoing strangely in the void. "It's good to see you."

Kaedan felt tears welling up in his eyes. "Zara, I'm so sorry. I couldn't save you. I wasn't strong enough, fast enough. I-"

Zara held up a hand, silencing him with a gentle smile. "Kaedan, stop. You have nothing to apologize for."

"But I failed you," Kaedan protested, the weight of his guilt threatening to crush him. "And then I... I gave in to the Dark Side. I let my anger control me."

Zara's expression softened, her eyes filled with understanding. "You didn't fail me, Kaedan. You did everything you could. What happened wasn't your fault."

She took a step closer, and Kaedan could feel the warmth of her presence washing over him. "As for the Dark Side... yes, you touched it. But you didn't let it consume you. You pulled back. That takes strength, Kaedan. More strength than you realize."

Kaedan shook his head, struggling to accept her words. "But how can you forgive me so easily? After everything that happened?"

Zara laughed, the sound like tinkling bells in the void. "Oh, Kaedan. Always so serious, always carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. Don't you see? There's nothing to forgive. You're exactly where you need to be, doing exactly what you need to do."

Her expression grew more serious, her eyes seeming to look beyond Kaedan, into some distant future. "You have a great destiny ahead of you, Kaedan Dorn. The galaxy is depending on you, whether it knows it or not."

Kaedan felt a chill run down his spine at her words, does she know.... "What do you mean? What destiny?"

Zara's smile turned mysterious. "You already know, Kaedan. Why else would you have been given this second chance, this knowledge of what's to come?"

She reached out, placing a hand on his cheek. Though she was just a vision, Kaedan could swear he felt the warmth of her touch. "You have the power to change things, Kaedan. To make a difference in ways no one else can. But remember – power without compassion is just another form of darkness."

Kaedan nodded slowly, feeling a sense of clarity settling over him. "I understand. I won't let you down, Zara. I won't let any of you down."

Zara's smile widened. "I know you won't. You're going to do great things, Kaedan Dorn. Just remember to stay true to yourself along the way."

She began to step back, her form starting to fade into the growing light behind her. "Oh, and Kaedan?" she called, her voice growing distant. "Stay compassionate, silly. It's what makes you special."

With that, she turned and walked into the blinding light, leaving Kaedan alone once more. But this time, the void didn't feel empty or oppressive. It felt... full of possibility.

Kaedan awoke with a start, the dream still vivid in his mind. He sat up in his bed, noticing that the first rays of Coruscant's sun were just beginning to peek through his window. For the first time in weeks, he felt truly rested, truly at peace.

As he went through his morning routine, Kaedan couldn't shake the feeling that something important was going to happen. Zara's words echoed in his mind, filling him with a sense of relief...

He made his way to the Temple's main hall, where the day's assignments were usually posted. As he approached the bulletin board, he noticed a small crowd of younglings gathered around it, whispering excitedly.

"Kaedan!" Raz called out, waving him over. "You're not going to believe this!"

Feeling a mixture of curiosity and apprehension, Kaedan pushed his way through the crowd. His eyes scanned the board, finally landing on the announcement that had everyone buzzing:

"Padawan Assignment: Kaedan Dorn - Master Mace Windu"

Kaedan blinked, sure he must be reading it wrong. Mace Windu? The stern Jedi Master who had been so critical of him in the Council chamber? It didn't seem possible.

"Congratulations, young Dorn," a deep voice said from behind him. Kaedan turned to see Master Windu himself standing there, a hint of a smile on his usually serious face.

"Master Windu," Kaedan said, bowing deeply. "I... I don't know what to say. Are you sure about this?"

Windu's expression softened slightly. "I am. We've both faced our own struggles with the Dark Side, Kaedan. I believe we can learn much from each other."

As the reality of the situation sank in, Kaedan felt a surge of emotions – gratitude, excitement, and just a touch of trepidation. This was it. The next step on his journey to becoming a Jedi, to changing the future he knew was coming.

"Thank you, Master," Kaedan said, his voice filled with sincerity. "I won't let you down."

Windu nodded, a glimmer of approval in his eyes. "I know you won't. Now, come. We have much to discuss, and your training begins immediately."

As Kaedan followed his new Master through the Temple halls, he couldn't help but feel that this was a turning point. This is the man who technically had Darth Sidious beat, and now he would become his apprentice....

Zara's words from the dream echoed in his mind once more: 'Stay compassionate, silly. It's what makes you special.' A warm smile appeared on his face.

Little did Kaedan know that across the city, in the opulent office of the Supreme Chancellor, Darth Sidious was smiling to himself. The boy's assignment to Mace Windu was an unexpected development, but one that could prove useful. After all, the closer Kaedan was to the heart of the Jedi Order, the more damage he could potentially do when the time came. Windu could teach him how to control the darkness, but the closer he gets to it, the more likely he is to be seduced by it.